What kind of nation do Americans want?

By Jere Geurin

Published: Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at 06:47 PM.

To the editor:

Both political conventions have come and gone, and both parties are now hard at work misinforming Americans regarding the strengths and failures of each candidate. The Muslims raging throughout the world are busy expressing their hatred for America by rioting and burning. As in all American politics, politicians on both sides of the aisle distort reality and twist the truth to support their own agendas. Both parties seem to be asking the question, “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” I maintain that the question we should ask ourselves is, “What kind of America do we want?”

That question was foremost on the minds of the men who formed this nation 236 years ago. To their credit, the documents they signed when they broke away from the oppressive rule of a British monarch are still used in amended form today. The same ideas about how men should govern themselves in 1776 should prevail in 2012.

The 2012 election will probably prove to be the most important in my lifetime. The key word this year is “choice.” Americans will go to the polls on Nov. 6 to decide more than which team of candidates will govern us for the next four years. We will choose what kind of America we want.

To guide us in this choice, I offer the reader the following questions:

Do we want our government to secure our borders or to allow anyone to enter our country willy-nilly? This is one of two basic responsibilities of government: secure the borders. In view of the 12 million illegal immigrants in this country, and the federal lawsuits against those states trying to enforce federal law, our government’s failure to perform this duty should be obvious to all.

Do we want a government that protects us? This is the second basic governmental responsibility. Ask yourself how well our government has protected our embassies and consulates in the Middle East. In another sense, do we want our government to support the murder of unborn children, or to protect those lives? Continued support for the practice of abortion is another failure.

Do we want a government whose regulations strangle business, or do we want our free market system to flourish?

Over the next four years, do we want government deficit spending to increase our national debt to more than $20 trillion, or do we want the elimination of unnecessary programs and the reduction of the existing $16 trillion debt? What kind of legacy to we want to leave our grandchildren?

Do we want a government that legislates and adjudicates against religion, or one that allows legitimate religions to practice according to their own doctrines?

Do we want our government to apologize to Islamic nations that allow raging mobs to burn our embassies, consulates and schools and to murder our representatives to their countries? Should America continue to send these countries aid, or should our government demand an end to the ongoing attacks under the threat of military reprisal?

Other issues abound, too many to mention here. Each issue is more complex than a mere dichotomy, and each has its supporters and its detractors. Rather than listening to the hyperbole emanating from each candidate, we should pay attention to the values that each candidate holds dear.

The question of values returns us to my original question: What kind of America do you want? Do you want an America that is strong and respected, or one that is weak and scorned; an America that apologizes to those who attack it, or a nation that seeks justice against its foes? An America in which each individual is free to seek his own destiny, or one in which each citizen’s behavior is controlled by government regulation? An America with a strong work ethic, or one in which everyone depends on the government for sustenance? Do you want freedom, or free stuff? Your answer to these questions will indicate what kind of American you are.

What do you want? It should be — above all else — the same thing our Founding Fathers wanted. They did not want a government that gave them free stuff. They wanted freedom!

Jere Geurin Morehead City

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Both political conventions have come and gone, and both parties are now hard at work misinforming Americans regarding the strengths and failures of each candidate. The Muslims raging throughout the world are busy expressing their hatred for America by rioting and burning. As in all American politics, politicians on both sides of the aisle distort reality and twist the truth to support their own agendas. Both parties seem to be asking the question, “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” I maintain that the question we should ask ourselves is, “What kind of America do we want?”

That question was foremost on the minds of the men who formed this nation 236 years ago. To their credit, the documents they signed when they broke away from the oppressive rule of a British monarch are still used in amended form today. The same ideas about how men should govern themselves in 1776 should prevail in 2012.

The 2012 election will probably prove to be the most important in my lifetime. The key word this year is “choice.” Americans will go to the polls on Nov. 6 to decide more than which team of candidates will govern us for the next four years. We will choose what kind of America we want.

To guide us in this choice, I offer the reader the following questions:

Do we want our government to secure our borders or to allow anyone to enter our country willy-nilly? This is one of two basic responsibilities of government: secure the borders. In view of the 12 million illegal immigrants in this country, and the federal lawsuits against those states trying to enforce federal law, our government’s failure to perform this duty should be obvious to all.

Do we want a government that protects us? This is the second basic governmental responsibility. Ask yourself how well our government has protected our embassies and consulates in the Middle East. In another sense, do we want our government to support the murder of unborn children, or to protect those lives? Continued support for the practice of abortion is another failure.

Do we want a government whose regulations strangle business, or do we want our free market system to flourish?

Over the next four years, do we want government deficit spending to increase our national debt to more than $20 trillion, or do we want the elimination of unnecessary programs and the reduction of the existing $16 trillion debt? What kind of legacy to we want to leave our grandchildren?

Do we want a government that legislates and adjudicates against religion, or one that allows legitimate religions to practice according to their own doctrines?

Do we want our government to apologize to Islamic nations that allow raging mobs to burn our embassies, consulates and schools and to murder our representatives to their countries? Should America continue to send these countries aid, or should our government demand an end to the ongoing attacks under the threat of military reprisal?

Other issues abound, too many to mention here. Each issue is more complex than a mere dichotomy, and each has its supporters and its detractors. Rather than listening to the hyperbole emanating from each candidate, we should pay attention to the values that each candidate holds dear.

The question of values returns us to my original question: What kind of America do you want? Do you want an America that is strong and respected, or one that is weak and scorned; an America that apologizes to those who attack it, or a nation that seeks justice against its foes? An America in which each individual is free to seek his own destiny, or one in which each citizen’s behavior is controlled by government regulation? An America with a strong work ethic, or one in which everyone depends on the government for sustenance? Do you want freedom, or free stuff? Your answer to these questions will indicate what kind of American you are.

What do you want? It should be — above all else — the same thing our Founding Fathers wanted. They did not want a government that gave them free stuff. They wanted freedom!